This book weds the "normative" and the "empirical" in its examination of public policy. The first part of the text offers a philosophical context, enabling students to see how different conceptions of "the public good" inform and shape public policy. The second part draws on the realm of science and employs the policy process model as a basis for understanding how public policies actually come to fruition. The first two parts act as a "compass" for the third, which presents substantive policy areas, such as defense, education, health, and criminal justice.